Storytellers
by Phantom-Shalnark
Summary: Lost in the forest, Meowth and Pikachu decide to help a young Shaymin give a little girl on her last day the best few hours of her life. T just in case


"Well, this is a fine mess you've gotten us into!"

"Pika-pika!"

Meowth rolled his eyes. "My fault? You're the one who wandered away, and now look at us! Lost in the forest, with no way out."

What was supposed to have been a simple catch Pikachu plot, had gone very wrong from the beginning. While Jesse and James dealt with the twerps, Meowth was given the job of chasing Pikachu with their new, electric-proof butterfly net.

What he hadn't anticipated was Pikachu running off into the forest. He had followed as the loyal Pokemon he was to Team Rocket, only to find that Pikachu had gotten them lost! "I can't even retrace my steps," Meowth mumbled to himself.

They walked in silence beside each other, following a thin dirt path, since it was the only one to follow. The trees were high above them, and various bushes grew out colourful berries and blossoming flowers.

Once in a while, a wild pidove or patrat would come out, but no matter how many times they stopped and asked for directions, no one could help them. Apparently, they were so deep into the forest, the twerps, Jesse or James couldn't be found.

Meowth sighed. "There has to be way out, somehow..." Pikachu glanced around. "Pika, pika-pika, pika-chu." Meowth moaned. "No, I don't think that there's a Pokemon ranger around. We would have heard them by now."

"_Oh! Hello there."_

Meowth and Pikachu turned forward, to see a new Pokemon had emerged from the forest's depths, carrying a small pack around their neck. "No way," Meowth explained, "You're...a Shaymin?!" He nearly fell over.

Standing in its sky form, a small Shaymin pranced over to them, its ears bouncing up and down, and the flower at its neck swaying back and fourth. It had a small pink cloth tied around its neck, which appeared to be carrying a few blackberries.

"_Pleasure to meet you. I'm Shayla. What are your names?"_

Pikachu stood on its hind legs, and smiled. "Pikachu!"

"_Why, hi there, Pikachu. And what's your friend's name?"_

Meowth scoffed. "We're not friends. I'm Meowth." Pikachu pointed at the small sack Shayla was carrying. "Pika pi-ka?" Meowth nodded his head. "Yeah, why are you carrying those berries around in that little cloth?"

Shayla's smile faded.

"_They're...for a friend."_

Meowth gasped as Shayla began to whimper. "Whoa, hold on there, we didn't mean to make you cry!"

"Pika!"

"_Sniff...oh, no, it's not your fault, it's just...these berries are for a close friend of mine, Serenity. She loves blackberries, but can't collect them herself, because she's...she's..."_

Shayla whimpered again, and Meowth waved his arms around. "No, no, don't cry, Shayla! Why, we'll...we'll go and see Serenity with you!" He turned to Pikachu. "Come on, now, how about a truce? I can't stand to see such a lovely Pokemon cry."

Pikachu smiled. "Pika, pikachu, pi-ka." Shayla shook her ears.

"_Oh, why, thank you! Please, do follow me." _

After a few minutes of walking through the forest, an opening cleared out before them. "Wow," Meowth whistled, "what a beauty." Before them, a small area of grass was covered with white tulips. In the middle, near a small pond, was a pretty little cottage, the walls a light brown colour.

It had a dark brown roof, and the door was of a creamy colour. One small window could be seen, with pink flowers growing in a small bin right underneath it. "That's Serenity's house, then?" Meowth pointed to it, and Shayla nodded.

"_Yes. Come, we can enter to her room through the window."_

Shayla led them to the bottom of the window, passing by a few goldeen in the pond, who waved at them with their orange fins. The window was high up, but Shayla quickly grabbed a ladder from behind the house, and placed it against the wall.

"_You can climb up, now."_

She flew into the window, and Pikachu skittered to the top of the ladder, Meowth not far behind. They both jumped onto the window sill, and gazed into the room. "Well," Meowth took it all in, "isn't this quaint."

The room was small, with a dull orange colour for the walls, a white ceiling, and oak wood flooring. The door was closed, showing off its dark brown colour, and beside it, a white closest, the doors covered in drawings of all sorts of Pokemon.

Right beside the window was a tall bed, with plush, baby blue blankets on it. Under the blankets, resting against the large pink pillows, was a cute little girl, fast asleep. She had long, dirty blonde hair, and was wearing a light pink sleeping gown.

Shayla was on the bed, and signalled for Meowth and Pikachu to come in. They jumped lightly onto the bed, but still loud enough to wake the girl up, revealing her light green eyes. "Oh, my," she spoke softly, "new friends."

"_Pikachu, Meowth, this is Serenity, the girl who named me, and my best friend. Serenity, this is Pikachu and Meowth."_

Serenity smiled. "It's a real pleasure...to meet you both." Suddenly, she coughed harshly into her sleeve. Pikachu blushed, and Meowth crossed his arms. "You should be thanking Shayla. She went out and picked you the best berries in the whole world!"

Shayla smiled. _"Thank you, Meowth."_ It was his turn to blush. "Well, shucks." Pikachu helped Shayla take off the cloth, and place the berries in front of Serenity. "Oh, thank you...very much, Shayla," Serenity weakly picked one of them up,

"will you eat these...after I'm gone? For me?"

Meowth and Pikachu exchanged worried glances. "Gone," Meowth fumbled with his words, "you mean...you're gonna...you know..."

Serenity nodded sadly and slowly. "Yes. This...is my last day. I've been sick...for a very long time, but...Shayla has always helped to...keep my spirits up. I only wish that...I could have seen more of the world,...beyond this forest,...but, alas, I've been bedridden...most of my life."

Shayla looked down at the blankets, and Pikachu patted her on the back. "Pika..."

Meowth gulped. "Well...well, then...it'll be the best last day of your life!" Serenity, Pikachu and Shayla stared at him.

"Pika?"

Meowth pointed at himself. "I'll tell you all about my adventures! And-and so will Pikachu, isn't that right, buddy?" Pikachu stared at him for a moment, then grinned, its ears perking up. "Pika, pikachu!" Shayla smiled.

"_Oh, would you? I'd love to hear them, as well, since I've been in this forest my whole life."_

Serenity nodded. "You'll tell me...real stories? Why, that'd...that'd make me the...happiest girl in the world!" She coughed loudly again, and Meowth nodded. "Sure thing, doll face, and I'll translate for Pikachu, too!" Shayla sat down in front of Serenity.

"_Oh, do begin!"_

So, for the next few hours, Meowth hailed both girls with the story of his training in Team Rocket (leaving out the part of him being evil), and told them of his travels, being able to talk in human language, and the Pokemon he's met.

He also translated Pikachu's stories of how he'd met so many legendary Pokemon, travelled with the twerps and his trainer, and had so many amazing battles.

Soon, the sky darkened, becoming a dark indigo hue, the sun setting just behind the trees off in the distance.

"Thank you,...both of you,"

Serenity's voice softened to a barely heard whisper as she began to close her eyes and rest her head back,

"these stories...have been...wonderful. I wish I...could have seen...more of the world...like you..."

Soon, her eyes completely closed, and her hands went limp. Shayla stood up, pulled the blankets further over Serenity's body, and turned fully to Pikachu and Meowth, her eyes brimming with tears.

"_Thank you...so much...Serenity was meant to pass in her sleep, and you've given her the most peaceful last day."_

"W-wait a minute," Meowth stammered, his paws becoming clammy, "she-she'll wake up, right? We'll get to-to say goodbye, right, Shayla?!"

"Pika?!"

Shayla, however, sadly shook her head.

"_I'm...sorry...she's...not waking up, Meowth, Pikachu..."_

"No..." Meowth walked over and shook Serenity. "Serenity, you have to wake up! We're not done...we have so many more stories to tell you." He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Pikachu. He stepped away from her, glancing back just to see her hair fall over her face.

"Pika."

"_Pikachu's right, Meowth. She...she can't hear you...any-anymore..."_

Meowth stared at Shayla as she began to cry.

"Do-don't cry, Shayla," Meowth felt his eyes begin to water, "she's in a...a better place now." He looked over at Pikachu, only to see tears streaming down its face.

"Pika...pi-pika-pi...pika-pikachu..." Pikachu burst into tears, its tears wetting the blanket.

"Pika-chuuu..."

Meowth couldn't help himself as he felt tears race down his face. "Why-why am I-I crying s-so much?" He tried to wipe them away, but they kept coming.

"I-I barely ev-even knew h-her..." He looked up at Serenity's face, calm and relaxed, her skin paling as they cried.

"...Good...goodnight, Serenity."

Waving goodbye to Shayla, Pikachu and Meowth began to walk back down the dirt road, occasionally looking back, just to catch a glimpse of Serenity's final smile, Shayla in her normal form sitting on her sill, and watch as her parents wept beside her bed, the father holding the mother's shoulder.

"...You know, Pikachu," Meowth began, "I will probably go back to trying to catch you, and hating you, but,..."

Pikachu stared at him. "Pika...?"

Meowth turned to him, smiling with wet eyes and fur from his crying.

"...You sure tell good stories."


End file.
